In Ian Book's 9 starts he has yet to face a Top 45 pass efficiency defense. That includes last year vs. North Carolina. He has faced a Top 45 pass efficiency defense when coming off the bench (LSU, Miami) but never as a starter. In Brandon Wimbush's 16 starts he has faced 9 Top 45 pass efficiency defenses.
His point was that Book will be tested in the playoffs b/c Clemson and Alabama are Top 25 pass efficiency defenses.
That is a tad misleading b/c Book's performance against Syracuse (#50) and Northwestern (#53) knocked both of those defenses outside of the top 45. This is especially true of Northwestern.
But the ND pass offense is going to be tested against Clemson, Bama or Georgia, who are all Top 30 pass efficiency defenses. I personally think ND can have success against those defenses, all of them, but there is going to be a lot of talk about how ND hasn't faced those kinds of defenses this season, and Book not playing against Michigan is going to be a point some refer to.
Going to be an interesting month.
His point was that Book will be tested in the playoffs b/c Clemson and Alabama are Top 25 pass efficiency defenses.
That is a tad misleading b/c Book's performance against Syracuse (#50) and Northwestern (#53) knocked both of those defenses outside of the top 45. This is especially true of Northwestern.
But the ND pass offense is going to be tested against Clemson, Bama or Georgia, who are all Top 30 pass efficiency defenses. I personally think ND can have success against those defenses, all of them, but there is going to be a lot of talk about how ND hasn't faced those kinds of defenses this season, and Book not playing against Michigan is going to be a point some refer to.
Going to be an interesting month.
